The Other Thief And Rapture

In Luke chapter 23, two convicts sentenced to capital punishment under Roman law for non-citizens were one on each side of Moshiach. All three were nailed to the respective crosses. This conversation looks at why the other thief did not receive righteousness. He acknowledged Christ by hearing the Good News from the thief who was to turn instantly into a saint from the other side of Christ. He can vouch that Jesus existed. He can even say that they died together on Passover. What he lacked was a matter of the heart. The thief turned saint held a belief by profession that Jesus “will come again”.

That simple. The saint became a saint for righteousness by faith in Christ.

Now we shall move this conversation 2,000 fast forward to the Gathering. In pop culture, some people have decided to call that the “rapture”.

Scenario 1

Luke described the stage set by Father in the narrative below.

³² Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. ³³ And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁴ And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”^[b] And they cast lots to divide his garments. ³⁵ And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” ³⁶ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine ³⁷ and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” ³⁸ There was also an inscription over him,^[c] “This is the King of the Jews.”

³⁹ One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him,^[d] saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”

Scenario 2

Some time between 2023 to 2028.

If for the longest time a disbeliever rejects Christ for doubting His existence beyond either a historical figure or a legendary figure, and only after he sees the Lord physically come down — as He prophesies — they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory — does that count as “faith”? Only faith will lead to righteousness with God. Will sight count as “faith” where faith is according to Hebrews 11 – Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. Sight counts as acknowledgement of a visible evidence, not faith in an invisible existence.

This point of discussion concerns the concept that is popular on social media – the term tribulation saints being taken to be defined new believers who come into faith after the “rapture” where Christ appears to receive His elect to paradise.I personally believe the viewership of the “rapture” — I prefer to call it the Gathering after Matthew 24| . 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other — determines the truthfulness of the concept which states “it is possible for the Gospel to be preached” out of necessity after the gathering of the elect up by Christ.Viewership 1Only those who will be received into glory at the moment that Paul called in the twinkling of an eye, we will be changed — will see Christ. This concept called the Secret Rapture is not supported by the Bible.Viewership 2Quote – 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.If all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of the sight they shall see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, then what does it mean for a disbeliever? For people at the moment of the gathering, the elect who have believed in Christ, by faith of an invisible reality, and those who are not the elect who did not believe in Christ, there will be people who will see the physical Christ. Is that called “salvation”?

Salvation is today a cheapened word. Salvation is a result of receiving righteousness from Christ. To receive righteousness, believers believe that our sins are borne on Christ on His flesh as He died with the old flesh on the Cross. On the third day He rose from the dead.

Salvation is not from believing in the existence of the Christ from the Bible. Otherwise, all Bible scholars would be “saved”. Enter the argument of the “thief on the cross”.He obtained righteousness by faith in three things that he professed with the mouth next to Christ. “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

1. He called Christ “Lord”.
2. He held Christ as “King” of the kingdom to come.
3. He confessed Christ was to die in injustice. He is perfect.

On the other side of the Cross, the other convict saw the visible evidence of Christ and yet his heart did not change. For that, he did not receive righteousness in the moments before his premature death.

Graphic credit:

Yeshua

God is thinking about you more than you think

by Corey Lautamus

About the Book

There are very few books with this point of view. The meaning of Jesus words in Gethsamane and on the cross have a powerful perspective. People believe what they think the meaning of these words are but those beliefs are not in correlation with who Jesus is. This book has explained in great detail what the words that Jesus spoke in the garden mean. Not only explained but Scripture has been given to document these explanations. Do you know the power of Christ, do you know how He used His great power? You will be strengthened in Christ by reading this. You will also see Him more powerful, more loving, and be in awe of His magnificent, adoring, wonderful will and focus. Jesus is very God and very human all through the Passion. We have documented from the Bible that Jesus will be discouraged, not in the crucifixion but upon His return and why that is. We have documented as well that God and Jesus were not separated at all but that Jesus did what He did “because” God was with Him.

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